1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input device having input units on face and back sides, to an input method, and so on.
2. Related Art of the Invention
Small electric equipment which has a display unit on a face (front) side of a body case and has a touchpad unit on a back side of the body case, is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-318640. The small electric equipment further has a mechanical operation unit at a lateral side of the body case.
When a user holds the small electric equipment with one hand, the user can input various instructions by using the operation unit of the lateral side of the body case and pointing with the touchpad unit of the back side of the body case, while watching the display unit of the face side of the body case.
On the other hand, there is a terminal not having a mechanical operation unit, or there is a terminal in which mechanical operation units are reduced as much as possible. In such terminals, a touch panel unit is often affixed on a display unit provided on the face side of the body case. Such terminals can have input units provided on both sides (the face side and the back side) of the body case.
FIG. 21(A) and FIG. 21(B) are external views of an example of the conventional terminal which has input units on both sides of the face and back. FIG. 21(A) is the external view as viewed from the face side when the terminal is held with one hand. FIG. 21(B) is the external view as viewed from the back side when the terminal is held with one hand.
A touch panel unit 801 is provided on the face side of the body case of the terminal 800. A touchpad unit 803 is provided on the back side of the body case. The touch panel unit 801 is affixed on a display unit 802 provided on the face of the body case.
When the user holds such the terminal 800, for example, the user can input various instructions by using with the user's thumb the touch panel unit 801 provided on the face side of the body case and pointing with the user's forefinger by the touchpad unit 803 provided on the back side of the body case, while watching the display unit 802 provided on the face side of the body case.